Just One Night by Carly Phillips (fiction book recommendations txt) 📕

Be there for me.” His dark gaze met hers and her hands began to shake, and she placed the can next to his.

Good thing, because he stepped closer, backing her against the counter until she was surrounded by him. His physical strength, his heat, and his scent all wreaked havoc with her mind, common sense, and all rational thought.

He dipped his head and his mouth hovered close to hers. Seconds passed in which she had a choice. An angel on one side begged her to back away. The devil on the other urged her to give in and take what he offered. What her body wanted.

Their breaths mingled and she forgot why she was resisting. In that moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care, and she kissed him, her lips meeting his. Nothing about their joining was soft. They came together in a clash of mouths, teeth, and tongue, desire rushing through her as she slid her hands over his bare chest, scoring her nails over his skin.

He groaned, and while devouring her with his mouth, he lifted her skirt, finding her tiny scrap of underwear beneath. He slid a hand over her sex, and a shock of awareness rippled through her.

“Fuck, you’re wet,” he said, breaking the kiss.

She couldn’t deny the truth, and when he rubbed a finger over the material, finding her clit and pressing in, she shattered immediately. Picking up rhythm, he rubbed back and forth as she came, guiding her through and prolonging her unexpected climax.

“Holy shit,” she muttered, her legs like jelly when the spasms passed. Only then did she realize Linc held her up, hands now braced on her waist.

Before she could think, she slipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his pants, her hand grasping his cock. He wore no underwear, so her palm wrapped around his bare erection, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the steel of him and the contradicting softness of his skin.

A shudder rippled through him, and a low rumble sounded from his chest. She gripped tighter and pumped her hand up and down, pausing only to swipe her hand over the creamy fluid on the tip.

“Fuck,” he said on a low groan, and at the guttural sound, her sex spasmed and she wanted him. Now.

“Tell me you have a condom.” She hooked her thumbs into the waist of his pants and attempted to pull them down.

Instead of answering, he clasped her wrist, halting her movement. “No,” he said, sounding tortured.

She opened her eyes in surprise.

“What? Why not?” Her head was spinning from her climax, arousal and his sudden change of mind.

He braced her face in his hands. “Because I want all of you. Not just your body and I won’t settle for anything less. And you’re not there. Yet.”

How had he read her so well? And why was she more pissed with his knowledge of her internally than she was with him denying her sex?

“Fine.” She wriggled down her skirt, ignoring the dampness between her legs and the throbbing desire that needed to be filled.

“Hey.” Reaching out, he tipped her chin up so she had no choice but to look at him. “Can you tell me you’d thought about how you’d feel after we had sex?”

“No,” she snapped, sexually frustrated.

He chuckled and she grew more annoyed. More with herself than with him, but she wouldn’t admit it out loud.

Cell phones rang from the other room. Two contrasting sounds, which meant someone was trying to reach them both.

She shot him a concerned glance, and they raced into the living room.

Jordan was still searching her handbag when Linc spoke. “Aurora’s in the hospital. She might be in labor.”

Panic seized her, stomach twisting. “It’s too soon.”

He nodded. “I know. The hospital’s near my mother’s. It’s about an hour from here. Are you ready now?”

“Yes.” She didn’t care that she was wearing her work clothes.

Within seconds, Linc had called Max, who he kept on standby during the week. They spoke and he turned to her. “He’ll be downstairs in fifteen minutes.”

Excusing herself, she enclosed herself in the bathroom to wash and clean up. Not caring about her makeup, she splashed cold water on her face and patted off the water with a towel she’d taken from the linen closet in the bathroom.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw a woman with flushed cheeks from a surprise orgasm and lingering frustration, but she also saw eyes filled with worry for Aurora. Inside, her stomach was churning and not only with concern for Linc’s sister.

She was worried about herself. What was she doing with Linc? Why was she suddenly so attracted to him she couldn’t bring herself to listen to her mind and instead responded with her body? She refused to think about whether or not her heart had become involved because that would be a disaster.

As for Linc, he had an agenda. He tempted her, teased her, brought her to climax, and then pulled back because he wanted her more invested than was smart. They were both treading on thin ice with these new dynamics in their relationship, and it scared her to death.

And now she had to go to the hospital and pray Aurora had a healthy early baby and be surrounded by memories of losing her own. No matter how early in the pregnancy Jordan’s miscarriage had been, the loss was huge and impacted her to this day. She was grateful she’d have Linc by her side.

Chapter Seven

Linc had changed into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, meeting up with Jordan in the living room. She still was dressed in work clothes, and he had nothing here for her to wear outside of the apartment.

They rushed downstairs and into the car. He pressed Max to hurry, and the driver made it to the hospital in record time without getting stopped for a speeding ticket.

“Thank you, Max. I really appreciate it,” Linc said as he helped Jordan out of the car.

“Good luck,” Max replied.

They rushed into